Elias practically growled beside her, but didn’t say anything.
“What happens now?” Diana asked, though she wasn’t certain she wanted to hear the answer. “How soon must we wed?”
“We shall discuss the marriage settlements with Powis,” Elias said. “And we pray that whatever his motives, he proves to be a decent husband to you.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
Elias’s expression grew even darker. “Then I’ll make good on my promise to see him on the dueling ground.”
As they turned onto their street, Diana felt the full impact of her precarious situation settle over her. In one reckless evening, she’d bound herself to a stranger whose motives, while she defended them, she couldn’t be certain of. Her family’s reputation hung in the balance, her sisters’ futures were at stake, and she had no idea what kind of man she was truly marrying.
But she brought her fingers to her lips, remembering the heated kiss that got them into this mess. But as her world and futurecrumbled around her, all she could think about was when she would get to kiss him again.